


My Love is Fire

by Freerangeegghead



Category: Deadpool (Movieverse)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-23
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-13 00:14:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 19,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14738459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freerangeegghead/pseuds/Freerangeegghead
Summary: In which Yukio takes one look at Teenage Negasonic Warhead and thinks they will never be friends.





	1. Chapter 1

**Pairing:**   Teenage Negasonic Warhead ( Ellie Phimister) /  _Yukio_

 **Movie:**   _Deadpool 1 and 2_

 **Rating:** _T ~ M for language and adult themes, femslash, no smut, slightly A/U_

 **A/N:**   _Because Deadpool and gayness._

 **Disclaimer:**   _Nothing owned, nothing gained, only prose is author's._

* * *

 

The first time Yukio meets Ellie, she thinks Ellie doesn't like her.

When Storm introduces her to everyone when she arrives at Professor Charles X. Xavier's house, Ellie had stood on one side, looking sullen and unimpressed, looking at Yukio from across the room with her dark, penetrating gaze, chewing her gum slowly. The others - Professor Charles Xavier, Jean Grey, Scott Summers, Dr. Hank McCoy, that big guy made of steel Colossus, and the rest of the X-Men, regular members, trainees and students alike, had welcomed her with open arms and smiling faces. Ellie though had stood there, arms crossed infront of her chest, looking at Yukio with one eyebrow cocked. Yukio is highly aware that Ellie is highly attractive, with her short, cropped hair, her earrings, her eyes, her lips. That she's a mutant with powers and looks sexy in leather makes Yukio think she's hot as hell. But she isn't about to tell her that. She blushes at the thought, blushes even more when she realizes Ellie is staring at her.

Maybe it had something to do with how she'd reacted to Ellie's code name. When Storm had introduced her as "Negasonic Teenage Warhead", Yukio couldn't help but burst out laughing. Ellie had looked unimpressed. Strike one.

"What's so fucking funny?" Ellie had  demanded then.

"Language!" Storm had chided her as the rest of the X-Men leave.

Strike two. Had Ellie scolded by what she would find out later as one of the most respected, senior members of the X-Men.

She should've stopped there of course. She really should've. She just couldn't help it.

"So if you're like, the Megasonic Teenage Warhead..."

" _Negasonic_..." Ellie corrects her.

Strike three. She should learn to cut her losses.

"Yeah, whatever,"Yukio had said then. "Anyway, if you're like the _Teenage_ Warhead whatever...what happens when you grow older?"

Silence. Ellie regards her cooly.

"Does that mean you have to rename yourself? Like, be, Negasonic _Adult_ Warhead? Or Negasonic Grown-Up Warhead? Or something?"

Her voice trails off as Ellie continues to stare at her (glare, Yukio thinks, more like _glare_ or _glower_ even...when Yukio sees what she can do, she'd probably have gone with glower). Colossus looks at Ellie and says, "She has a point."

Strike four.

Ellie just rolls her eyes and storms off.

Yukio hangs her head. Colossus walks up to her and awkwardly tries to console her with a large, massive hand on her shoulder.

"Do not worry," Colossus says in his thick accent. "She is like that to everyone. Even Charles."

Yukio nods, trying to make herself feel better. But how is she going to make Ellie like her now when she's made a pretty bad first impression? Yukio thinks Ellie isn't exactly going to give her the light of day.

Or even give her a chance.

Maybe Yukio is better off focusing on being an X-Men trainee.


	2. Chapter 2

So Ellie doesn't really talk to her much.

In fact, if Yukio doesn't know any better, she would think Ellie is actually actively trying to ignore her.

When Yukio sees her in the morning as they all head to the dining hall to have breakfast and she smiles and waves and says, "Hey, Ellie, good morning!"

When Yukio sees her in one of Professor Xavier's classes - listening in as the professor talks to the younger ones, Ellie glances at her and pointedly looks away, ignoring her all throughout the lecture.

When she sits beside her and offers her an apple with a chirpy, "You know what they say, an apple a day..." and Ellie just looks at her and says, "Thanks, I already ate."

When she and the others go out and she invites her: "Hey, a bunch of us are going to the movies, wanna come?" To which Ellie shakes her head and says, "No, thanks, I don't do movies."

When she finds her alone in the rec room and tries to join her as she watches a movie or plays a video game, "Hey, can I join you?" And Ellie hands her the remote or game console and says,"Here, I'm done anyway."

When she sees her out by the lawn, leaning on one of the trees and she says, "Hey, can I join you?" To which Ellie says, "Uh, you can have my spot. I'm just going anyway."

When it's lunchtime or dinner time and she spots Ellie eating by herself and she tries to join her and Ellie just gets up with a muttered "Sorry", leaving Yukio midway between standing and sitting down unsure whether she should sit alone or join some of the others, embarassed that Ellie has left her all alone. But then a flash, wind and a handsome man, streaks of gray on his long hair, stylish glasses on his head, leather jacket,old, Ramones tee shirt, ripped jeans and  classic Nike sneakers is suddenly sitting in front of her, grinning. "Yeah, don't sweat it. Ellie's like that with everybody," he says as he takes a big bite out of his burger and gulps down a Pepsi in one go. Yukio slowly sits down and watches him eat. In the corner of her eye, she could see Ellie glancing at them before she looks away.

Yukio just stares at him as he pops fries in his mouth.

"Oh, sorry, manners," he mumbles as he extends a hand for Yukio to shake. "Peter. Maximoff. To my friends. Quicksilver to my enemies."

When Yukio raises her eyebrows, Peter says, "Yeah, it sounded better in my head, too."

As someone turns up the volume on the mounted television in the hall and images of Magneto - still on the run after the crimes he has committed - Peter gestures to the screen and casually says, "That's my dad."

Yukio doesn't say anything.

"So, what's your story?" Peter asks.

Yukio grabs her fork and plays around with her mashed potatoes. She swirls it around and says, "Not much to tell really."

Before she could finish, Peter glances to the side and waves. Yukio turns and sees a woman with long, red hair and man with wavy hair and shades come up to them.

"Hey, Pete," the man says.

"Hey, Scott," Peter greets him. "Hey, Jean."

Jean smiles warmly at him. Both greet Yukio with a nod and a smile. Yukio smiles back. 

"Gonna go grab a bite to eat," Scott says.

Peter nods. He briefly watches them head to the counter then he turns back to his food and finishes it before Yukio can say anything.

Before she knows it, Peter has left and gone, leaving her sitting alone at the table again.

Yukio stares at her food.

* * *

There isn't really much to tell about her powers. One day she was training at the gym imagining herself as a world-renowed martial arts athlete - she'd been training her whole life in martial arts, studying kung fu, karate and taekwondo so  she could qualify for the Olympic try-outs or maybe even compete in the International Martial Arts Tournament. The next minute, the rope she was practicing with had caught fire and there were screams all around her as she tried in vain to stop her powers from shooting out of her fingers.

She'd been confused and afraid and hadn't known how to deal with her powers.

She'd ran all the way home, careful to avoid downtown San Francisco, catching a glimpse of herself in the news and feeling even more afraid.

Mutant.

Monster.

Freak.

Abomination.

These were the words that had gone through her mind as she rushed home to her parents.

When she'd gotten home, her mother had held her, crying softly and whispering in Japanese in her ear. Her father was arming himself, stoic and calm and determined as he could be. Both second generation Japanese, they can remember the storiea of their parents and grandparents when they had been thrown in internment camps in World War II. Her father had served in the military after. They lived in Hawaii, Guam,  South Korea and the longest, in Okinawa and Tokyo for a number of years, giving Yukio time to martial arts - Taekwondo, Kung Fu, Karate and Ninjutsu. Yukio had grown up in knowing how to defend herself. Looking at her parents then, she realized her parents not only prepared her for what's to come, they were ready to protect their daughter. Maybe they didn't understand what Yukio was becoming but they loved her enough to respect her and defend her.

* * *

A man in a suit and dark sunglasses, tall, blond, clean-shaven, had knocked on the door, an earpiece in one ear. Another man in a suit had stood beside him, saying nothing. Both were tall, muscular but not overly so.

"Good day,ma'am, sorry to bother you, ma'am, but can we please talk to Yukio?" The blond man asks.

"I'm sorry, she's not here," her mother says.

"Ma'am, Article Two Section One of the Mutant Protection Act states that any unregistered mutant must be reported. Failure to do so means you are harboring a criminal, a crime that is punishable by imprisonment of two years or more," the blond man explains curtly. "For the last time, where is the mutant named Yukio?"

Suddenly, a woman comes up from behind and puts her hands on both the men's shoulders, rendering both of them unconscious. They both drop to the floor unconscious.

The woman runs a hand over her long red hair with streaks of white on it. "So _rude_. Where are their manners? Asking you to turn your daughter over like that?" She says, accent heavily Southern. She puts her gloves on and extends a hand. "Hello, my name's Rogue. I believe you called for our help?"

Yukio's mother smiles and accepts her hand.

"And this must be Yukio," Rogue says.

Yukio nods.

"Great. Come with me," Rogue says.

"What about my mom? And my dad?" She turns to her mom then. "Mom..."she whispers, uncertain." What're we gonna do?"

Her mother looks at her and smiles. "You know what to do, honey. This is what you've been training for your whole life," her mother says. "These are the X-Men. They will take care of you. We will contact you as soon as we can but in the meantime, go with them. They can protect you more than we can," her mother continues. She embraces Yukio. "I love you."

Her father grabs her and embraces her, too. "I love you."

Two more people, one in shades, and one in a coat, playing with cards, come up.

" _Bon jour,_ ma cherie," the man with the playing cards says with a French accent. "Gambit. _Enchante_."

"This way, Yukio," the other man says. "Hi, I'm Scott, come with me."

"We take care of your parents, _oui_?" The man with the French accent says. "You need not worry. They will come visit you soon."

* * *

That was over a year or so ago. Her parents had visited her a few times since then, proud that she had been invited to become an X-Men.

Even though she misses them still, she's happy that she can be with other people who are just like her: Mutants.

And she likes that she's in a place where she actually belongs. All her life she hadn't really felt like she fit anywhere. Too Japanese to be really American. Too American to be really Japanese. Here though she felt like she finally really belongs.

What she hadn't expected though was the loneliness.

* * *

That doesn't faze her though in her mission to be friends with Ellie.

Though she thinks maybe she should give up. Ellie doesn't seem interested and her energies probably could be used elsewhere.

She can't deny though the trepidation she felt when Scott assigns Ellie as her sparring partner. All this time, Ellie had shown no interest in her as a friend and she isn't sure how their practices would go.

But then as they both enter the training simulation room, and the simulation is turned on - holographic sentinels and government soldiers and rogue mutants all intent on attacking her  and Ellie unleashes her powers, Yukio stands there, dumbstruck, as Ellie quietly and efficiently takes out the enemies one by one. Ellie's expression doesn't change as she concentrates on destroying anyone that attacks her. She moves with purpose and efficiency, able to fight off anyone trying to attack her. Yukio stares at her and is both amazed and impressed.

Which is why when Ellie's powers accidentally hit her she doesn't even see it coming.


	3. Chapter 3

She hadn't really meant to hit Yukio.

There had been a holographic sentinel infront of her and Yukio had suddenly just been there. It seems like it had all happened in slow motion. One minute she was standing there, the next minute she'd been hit in the stomach, careening through the air and slamming against the wall and sliding down to the floor.  She rushes to her, ordering the computer to stop the simulation.

Heart pounding fast against her chest, she kneels beside Yukio, leans over her, feels for a pulse, tries to check for other vitals. Yukio is unconscious, unmoving.

"Yukio? You okay?" She asks. When Yukio doesn't respond, body still unmoving, she leans over and tries to do mouth-to-mouth rescucitation and CPR. Briefly she thinks Colossus will not be happy she has made another trainee unconscious. Among others. 

After a few agonizing seconds, Yukio's eyes fly open and she gasps, wakes up, and she quickly sits bolt upright, breathing in big gulps of air.

"Ellie?" She asks, putting a hand on her chest. "What happened?"

Ellie purses her lips and says, "I accidentally hit you." When Yukio doesn't say anything, she says, "I'm sorry."

"Oh." Yukio grimaces. She puts a hand on her neck, massages it and slowly gets up.

Ellie watches her as she gets up, too. She looks at Yukio and asks, "You okay?"

Yukio nods. "Yeah." She closes her eyes. "Yeah. I'm fine." Then she gazes steadily at Ellie. "You don't like me."

Ellie is taken aback. She is rendered speechless. "Uh, what?"

"You've never liked me."

"What? No."

"Yeah, you do,"Yukio insists. "I don't know why. I've never done anything to you. I just...wanted to be your friend..." She looks at Ellie's eyes directly. "Or more..."

Ellie doesn't say anything. Doesn't know what to say. It takes her a few seconds to realize what Yukio is saying.

But then Yukio has turned around and marched out of the training room, visibly in pain, leaving Ellie standing all alone and confused.

* * *

Ellie lies all alone in her room, in the dark, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. The Mansion is quiet now, all the other inhabitants - mostly trainees and students alike - asleep, except for those X-men in covert missions.

She can't stop thinking about Yukio. She can't stop thinking about what Yukio had said in the training room.

It's not that she doesn't like Yukio. It's that she really likes her. A lot. From the very moment she saw her that first day Yukio set foot in the Mansion, in her pink hair, tight blouse and tight jeans, her dazzling smile, the delight in her eyes, and her overall happy, chirpy, optimistic demeanor, so unlike Ellie's. She'd waved at Ellie when she was introduced to her, looking utterly delighted to meet Ellie. She had taken one look a Yukio and Ellie knew she was a goner.

So yes, she'd liked her right away. Had always liked her.

But she doesn't know why everytime Yukio tries to talk to her, she freezes, incapable of saying anything coherent, sensible or witty. She goes to her sullen, moody mode instead and tries to push Yukio away. She'd never had difficulty talking to girls before, or difficulty asking them out. So she wonders why, when Yukio is around, she is suddenly speechless, unable to say anything.

But she thinks maybe because Yukio is different. Yukio looks like pure sunshine, spring and summer and and sunrises and cute puppies and rainbows all rolled into one. She is beautiful and sweet and Ellie already knows that she couldn't and shouldn't hurt her. That she can't, even if she tried. But she'd been afraid. Afraid she would. Afraid if Yukio got to know her she wouldn't like her, would hate her and never want to talk or see her again. Then Ellie would lose her and she'd be devastated. So it had been better to just push her way than to open herself to all that pain.

But is this any better though? Lying in the dark, thinking about Yukio everyday?

She sighs. But how could she be Teenage Negasonic Warhead, bad-ass X-Men member, if she couldn't deal with this like a proper grown up?

She gets up. " _Fuck_."

* * *

Ellie stands infront of Yukio's bedroom door, uncertain whether to knock or not. As her fist hangs inches from the door, a swish of wind, a chuckle and she hears someone - not her - knock on the door.

"What the fuck, Maximoff?!?" She says out loud to no one in particularly. "Asshole," she mutters.

Unsure whether to stay or not, her decision is made for her when the door opens and standing there in shorts and a tank top is Yukio.

"Ellie? What's going on?"Yukio asks, looking at her. "It's late. I was about to sleep..."

Ellie stares at what skin is revealed by Yukio's tank top and shorts, particularly her legs and stomach, briefly wondering how it would feel to run her hands on Yukio's body, feeling her face burning from the thought.

"Ellie?" She hears Yukio say her name again.

"Huh?" She asks, looking up at Yukio. She shakes her head and says, "Oh, uh. I...came here to say I'm sorry...for what happened earlier...I honestly didn't see you...I'm...really sorry."

When Yukio doesn't say anything, Ellie quickly adds, "You...don't need to say anything. I just wanted to say sorry. I'm just gonna leave now." She takes a step back and turns but before she does, she says, "And I don't dislike you. I just...I'm not good at these things. I'm sorry."

As she walks away, she hears Yukio say, "Wait."

She turns around, eyebrows raised.

Yukio stares at her intently before she says, "I'll accept your apology on one condition."

Ellie raises an eyebrow, cocks her head to the side. "What?"

"Movie and a dinner?" Yukio asks, uncertainly.

Ellie doesn't say anything at first.

Yukio just looks at her, then she slowly smiles.

Ellie slowly smiles back. "Okay."

Yukio's smile looks like the sun has just come up. "Really?" She asks as if she cannot believe Ellie has just said yes.

Ellie nods.

Yukio takes a step forward. "You're gonna go out with me?"

Ellie rolls her eyes. "Yeah, whatever, I'll go out on a stupid date with you."

Yukio comes up to Ellie. "So it _is_ a date?"

Ellie is very conscious of Yukio's nearness and the heady, intoxicating scent of Yukio's cologne - a mixture of something floral and summer-y. Ellie wants to reach out and touch her now but she just turns her hands into fists to keep from doing so.

Ellie swallows. She lowers her voice. "Do you want it to be?"

Yukio smiles. "Yes." She reaches out to touch Ellie's hands.

For the first time in a long time, Ellie smiles. "Okay."

Yukio nods. "Okay."

Peter saunters down the hallway and spots them. He looks from one smiling girl to the next and raises his eyebrow.

"We're going on a date,"Yukio announces happily.

Peter rolls his eyes. "Finally. Can't stand all that sexual tension. Ugh."

Yukio grins at Ellie.

Peter mutters, "Get a room, you guys."

Ellie looks at Peter and grins.

"Oh my god, Teenage Megasonic Warhead smiling,"Peter comments. "These are the end times..."

 


	4. Chapter 4

"So why did you become a member of the X-Men?" Yukio asks Ellie as they queue up for tickets at the cinema.

Ellie shrugs. "It was either this or military school. Or worse, boarding school."

"Rich parents?"

Ellie shakes her head. "Frustrated ones. Couldn't make me stop doing stupid shit. Gave me an ultimatum."

Yukio nods.

"You?"

"It was either this or get arrested by evil government guys."

"Oh."

"Yeah," Yukio says. "So you liking being a member of the X-Men so far?"

Ellie gives her a lop-sided smile. "Free board and lodging. Free cable and internet. Plus free stupid ass, tight uniforms and I can use my powers as long as it's not for bad stuff. Got a sweet deal."

Yukio grins. "You should smile more. You're kinda cute when you smile."

Ellie grins. "Yeah?"

Yukio nods. "But I'm digging the whole surly, moody thing, too. It's kinda hot and sexy."

Ellie doesn't know what to say to that. "Uh...thanks."

Yukio slips her arm into Ellie's arm, the touch of her fingers sending a tingle down Ellie's spine. She is conscious of Yukio's warm body pressing against hers. She realizes she doesn't mind the sensation. She tries not to put her arm around Yukio. A straight couple, a tall blond man in a red letter jacket and a blond girl in matching letter jacket passes by them. Ellie glares at them. They avert their gaze.

When they come up the counter, Yukio says, "Two please!" With a wide smile, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Are you always this..."

"Optimistic?" Yukio supplies.

"Chipper?"

Yukio shrugs. "Why?Should I not be?"

Ellie regards her, in her long pink hair, her ridiculous bangs, and her wide, open smile. Then she smiles. "No, it's fine. I like you just the way you are. I wouldn't have you any other way."

When the girl at the counter hands them their ticket, Yukio says, teasingly, "So...you like me?"

Ellie shrugs as they head to the popcorn stand. "What's not to like?"

As Yukio purchases the popcorn, Ellie's phone buzzes. She swipes her phone. Yukio glances at her phone and asks, "Who's that?"

Ellie reads the message. "Colossus. Wants to see if I wanna come with him to try to look for Deadpool, this asshole he wants to join the X-Men...again. Don't know why he bothers. Guy's an asshole."

"Deadpool?"

"This douchebag in a red suit who _just.won't.die,_ " Ellie says. "Did a number on the freeway with some bad guys."

"That was him?"

"Yeah. Got away by cutting off his own arm."

"Nasty."

"Yeah, that's what I said,"Ellie says.

"You going?"

Ellie shakes her head, casually says, "Nah. Got a hot date with this chick I really dig."

Yukio grins. Can't stop grinning. Ellie replies to Colossus' message and puts her phone away.

"Sorry.Now where were we?"

"Have you always wanted to be an X-Men?"

Ellie shakes her head. "Nah. Wanted to be an Avenger."

Yukio laughs. "Seriously?"

"No, not really. I like being in the X-Men," Ellie says. "And they have the hottest chicks."

"So if you weren't an X-Men, what would you be?"

Ellie shrugs. "Dunno. Teacher maybe. I wanna mold young minds," she deadpans.

"Really?"

"No. Not really," Ellie says, with a twinkle in her eye. "Don't really have plans. Right now I just wanna be with you."

As the lights dim inside the theater, Yukio leans on Ellie's shoulder and slips her hand in Ellie's, twines her fingers with Ellie's. "Me, too," Yukio whispers.

A shiver travels up Ellie's arms, up to her nape and her heart starts to beat fast. Yukio squeezes her fingers as the movie starts.

Yukio holds Ellie's hand and doesn't let go til the credits roll (whatever, she likes Yukio holding her hand. If it were up to her,she'd have wanted Yukio to hold her hand forever. She's human. And she likes Yukio. Like a lot.).

* * *

When the movie finishes, Yukio holds Ellie's hand as she chatters about how nice the movie was (it's some rom-com with a gay,white, male teenager who meets a guy on the net and spends the rest of the movie trying to figure out who he is. There's a grand ferris wheel scene at the end. Whatever. Later, Ellie realizes she secretly enjoyed it, too but she isn't about to admit that to anyone). Ellie nods, enjoying the feel of Yukio's hand in hers and her nearness.

"Wanna grab a bite to eat?"Yukio asks.

Ellie shrugs. "Sure, why not? You've already got me watching movies and shit."

"Aw, my little Negasonic Teenage Warhead is a softy at heart."

"Stop that."

* * *

"Coffee and apple pie. But I'd like the apple pie with ice cream. And the pie heated with the ice cream on the side, not on top. And strawberry ice cream if you have it, not vanilla. But if you don't have it, just whipped cream. But not the ones in the can. If you don't have those, then don't put anything at all," Yukio says to the waitress at the all-night diner they go to. "Oh, and a donut, please. But a pristinely glazed donut, okay?"

Ellie stares at her.

"What?"

Ellie shrugs. "Now I know why you're so happy all the time."

Yukio laughs. "What? Coffee with apple pie is awesome."

"What are we doing here anyway? I thought we were gonna go to some Japanese restaurant or something."

"What, because I'm Asian?"

"Okay, that sounded weird, sorry," Ellie says.  "Might as well take you to Taco Bell for our next date because of my heritage or whatever...I should just stop talking.”

Yukio reaches out to touch her hand. “Please don’t. I like how you talk. It’s adorable.”

Ellie makes a face. “Don’t say that. You’ll ruin my street cred.”

Yukio giggles. “Negasonic Teenage Warhead gone soft.”

“I’ll never hear the end of it from Maximoff. That prick.”

Yukio smiles.

The waitress hands them their coffee and for Yukio, her apple pie and donut. Yukio shakes her head as she grabs her fork and slices her cake, offers some to Ellie. Ellie shakes her head first but Yukio insists so she takes a bite of the pie.

"So on our next date we're going to a Mexican restaurant or something?" Yukio asks.

"Why? You got a better idea?"

Yukio shrugs. "I was thinking long walks at the beach...or a picnic at the park...maybe we could get a boat ride of some sort."

Ellie smirks. "That sounds like the gayest date I've ever heard."

Yukio looks at her.

"Which is cool. Dates are cool,"Ellie quickly adds.

* * *

After their coffee, as Ellie puts her jacket on, she asks Yukio, "Where to now?"

"I feel like dancing," Yukio says, bouncing up and down.

Ellie shakes her head. "I don't dance."

"I'll teach you."

"I'd rather you wouldn't..."

"C'mon, don't be a spoilsport," Yukio says. "It'll be fun."

* * *

And so that's how Ellie finds herself standing awkwardly in the middle of the dance floor, Yukio gracefully dancing to club music as other clubbers dance around them,too.

"Hey, you're not dancing," Yukio shouts above the music, putting her hands on Ellie's neck.

"I told you," Ellie shouts back. "I don't _dance_."

"What, too cool for dancing?" Yukio teases her. “C’mon, dance with me,  Negasonic Teenage Warhead. God, your name is a mouthful, seriously. Never mind, it’s cute.”

Ellie doesn't respond. She spots a couple of guys looking at them from across the dance floor. It's the same guys who've been hitting on Yukio all night the first time they came in, when they were getting their drinks at the bar. One of them, a man with dirty, disheveled blond hair, a goatee and an open-necked shirt had commented that he'd always wanted to try some "Asian flava". Yukio had quietly grabbed one of Ellie's fists which had began lighting up the second the guy started hitting on Yukio. Ellie hadn't even noticed it as she looks down at her fists. She is surprised Yukio doesn't recoil at the heat Ellie generated. Most of the other people at the mansion try to steer clear of her because of that one time she lost her temper. Colossus had a fit. She'd tried never to lose her temper after that. But these guys were pushing it.

"Hey, hey," Yukio says, putting a hand on her face and moving her face so she is looking at Yukio instead of the guys. "Don't look at them. Just...look at me, okay?"

Ellie's eyes had clouded for a second, but as she looks at Yukio, her eyes clear and focus on her. The world seems to melt away, the sound, the screams, all the noise fading away and all she can see is Yukio. Yukio smiles. It's as if the music has slowed down.

It starts slow. Yukio draws her closer, hands at the back of Ellie's neck, clutching her closer. Yukio puts Ellie's hands on her waist. Ellie holds her, then her hands move slowly up her back. Everywhere they touch Yukio's body cries out for more. Before either one knows it, their lips are inching closer towards each other. Yukio's lips are soft. She slides her arms tight against Ellie's neck and pulls her closer. Ellie responds, her mouth opening against hers, a tremor running through her body. Ellie pulls back, their foreheads touching.

"Is that better?" Yukio asks.

Ellie smiles, feeling the unfamiliar feeling of butterflies in her stomach as Yukio leans in again for another kiss. She could get used to this.

“Much,” Ellie murmurs, kissing her back. Yes, she definitely could get used to this. 


	5. Chapter 5

Yukio holds Ellie close, her arm on Ellie's waist. Ellie's arm is on Yukio's shoulder. They are heading to the parking lot, heading to the car parked a few yards away. "Wanna get out of here?" Yukio had whispered to Ellie in the club and Ellie was already nodding even before Yukio had finished the sentence. She'd grabbed Yukio's hand and led her through the throng of clubbers gyrating and dancing up and down and screaming and out into the cold, crisp night air. Yukio is only too happy to be led away from the club.

"So which country did you like the most?" Ellie is asking now.

Yukio looks at her. "Japan. And it's not because my parents are from there. There's just something Zen and cool about Japan I guess. And I was able to reconnect with my roots, understand who I was, so I could become what I want to be."

Ellie glances at her. "That's deep."

Yukio looks at her, smiles, gives her a kiss and continues. "I liked Korea, too. And Guam. And Hawaii..."

"Can you speak Japanese?"

Yukio nods. "Yeah. I had to. Nobody spoke English in Tokyo or Okinawa. So I had to learn how to speak it. And anyway the other kids would bully you if you were a Japanese looking kid who didn't know how to speak Japanese. You'd never hear the end of it. I was already the Japanese kid with the stupid American accent. I didn't want to be the Japanese kid who couldn't speak the language, too."

"You were bullied?"

Yukio shrugs. "Yeah. But like I knew Martial Arts so the other kids would think twice before challenging me..."

"Nice."

Yukio removes her arm from Ellie's waist and Ellie removes her arm from Yukio's as they look for the car. Yukio holds Ellie's hand as they move up and down the area. But then a couple of men - the same men eyeing Yukio at the club - are suddenly infront of them and they both stop.

They don't speak at first and refuse to let the couple pass. Then one of them spits on the ground and says, "I shoulda known you freaks were queers."

Before Yukio could stop her, Ellie had suddenly smoldered, flames engulfing her like a ball of fire.

"Ellie, don't, please," Yukio pleads. "It's not worth it."

The two men had taken a step back, surprised, keep backing away. Ellie seems to not have heard Yukio. As the fire fully engulfs her, she unleashes it, pushing it forward with all her might.

Muffled by the fire, she hears Yukio screaming, focuses on the men.

It all happens fast. The men don't see it coming. The blast hits them full on the body, so hard it makes their bodies jerk back like rag dolls as they fly in the air and crash hard against the pavement, unconscious.

"Shoulda known we were mutants, too," Ellie says. "Fucking assholes."

In a second they hear sirens, and Yukio grabs her and says, "We gotta go. Cops are coming."

Ellie nods as they both quickly head to the car.

* * *

They are both silent on the way to the mansion. As Ellie drives up the front door to let Yukio off before parking the car in the garage, she leans over to Yukio but Yukio leans away, avoids her.

"What?"

Yukio is silent for a moment before she says, "You didn't have to hurt those guys..."

"They were _harassing_ you..."

"I can take care of myself."

"I didn't say you couldn't."

"Why'd you have to do that?"

Ellie is silent. "I was teaching them a lesson. What is the big _fucking_ deal?"

"The big deal is you hurt those guys and you know we're not supposed to hurt innocents."

Ellie rolls her eyes. "Innocents? Those two were fucking sexist, misogynist homophobes. They were hardly innocent. They deserved everything they got."

"You are not judge, jury and executioner!"

"God, you sound like Colossus."

"And you sound like a _child_."

That last remark hits Ellie like a slap. It would've been okay if it came from anybody else, but coming from Yukio, it is a criticism and a rejection from the woman she likes.

"Are you going to do that everytime someone tries to hit on me?" Yukio asks now.

"No, of course not," Ellie says. "I was just...protecting you."

"I don't need protecting!" Yukio snaps, surprising Ellie and herself. She takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry, this is just...I need to go..."

And with that,Yukio opens the door and slowly heads to the door.

Ellie watches her walk away feeling like she's walking away from her life. She feels as if someone is stabbing her in the chest. She tries to swallow down the lump in her throat as she drives away.

Yukio avoids her, refuses to talk to her for days.

* * *

Wade Wilson, a.k.a. Deadpool, a.k.a. Douchepool a.k.a. Thorn-on-Everyone's- Side comes to the mansion a few days afterwards.

Ellie opens the door, moody and pissed and itching for a fight. Her whole body tingles with pent-up energy and tension. Fortunately, Wade comes with a proposition: A team-up to rescue Wade's girlfriend from the evil clutches of some British villain, the unfortunately named "Francis".

Colossus agrees to team-up with Wade, with a little convincing from Ellie. Colossus takes Ellie with him.

Crammed in the cab with Colossus, Deadpool, the Indian cab driver Dopinder and some dude who's been stuffed in the back of the car, Ellie thinks about Yukio, debates texting her. Yukio has refused to talk to her and actively avoids her in the dining hall, the rec room, the lecture halls, even the grounds. Ellie could just act like a little child and sulk, too, but she knows that as an X-Men they're always in constant danger and she should at least apologize before heading off to battle. Plus she does like this girl and she knows the mature thing to do is to apologize.

"You should just text her," Colossus says, who is innocently looking at her staring at her phone as he casually drinks from his juice box. 

She stares at him, dumbfounded.

"You are not very subtle," he adds further. "She is good influence to you. She reminds you to be good." Colossus doesn't add that he'd lost his shit when he heard about the incident at the parking lot. He almost didn't want her to come to this mission had she not convinced him to let her come. The only reason he had was because he'd noticed Ellie was surlier and angrier than usual and thought maybe she needed the fight to release all that pent-up emotion.

Wade, who is talking to Dopinder, glances back and says, "Who you texting Teenage Negasonic Warhead?" When Ellie doesn't answer, Deadpool says, "Ooh, you texting someone? A boy? Or... gasp! A girl? Did Teenage Negasonic Warhead go off and get a lover and is having a lover's quarrel with said lover even as we speak?"

Ellie glares at him. "None of your fucking business."

"Language,"Colossus chides her.

"Yeah, mind your fucking language, you!" Deadpool quips.

Thankfully, this results in another round of arguments between Deadpool and Colossus, leaving Ellie alone with her thoughts and her cellphone.

As they race down the roads to an abandoned shipyard, Ellie opts for a quick, "Hey, heading off to fight some bad guys with Colossus and Douchepool. Just wanted to say I'm sorry. I'll talk to you soon?" which she hastily sends as they near their destination.

* * *

Even from afar, Ellie can see what they are up against - she can see a lot of Francis' henchmen, heavily armed and ready for a fight. The massive ship stands in front of them, like a sentinel, looking ominous and foreboding.

Of course that stupid idiot Wade forgot his Hello Kitty bag of weapons and they spend a few minutes standing around as Wade calls Dopinder. The driver doesn't respond. This guy is a moron. A moron with mad fighting skills, she has to admit, but still a moron.

It's between Douchepool making quips at Francis and that crazy ass chick hitting Colossus like it was nothing when Yukio replies to her message.

"Hey, sorry, just got your text, was in training. I didn't even get to see you before you left. I'm so sorry, too. I guess I overreacted. See you when you get back?" the text reads, sprinkled with smileys and hearts.

Ellie hastily replies, "I'm sorry, too, I wasn't thinking. I was pissed they were doing that to my girlfriend. It wasn't an excuse though to hurt them like that."

That's when Wade turns to her and says, "Uh, that's why I brought her?"

Ellie holds her hand up, indicating that Wade and company wait as Wade sarcastically says, "Yeah, finish your tweet...hashtag it..." She doesn't really hear most of what Wade says, she just wants this over with so she can get back to Yukio.

Yukio had replied with "Girlfriend?"

"Yeah, is that okay? I seriously have to go now. Think Douchepool needs some back-up."

Before she tosses the phone away, Yukio replies with, "Yes. See you. Be careful. K. Love you."

She doesn't smile at that, Wade is already annoyed and Colossus is sprawled on his ass, but she powers up and slams her full power full on the muscled woman. She sees the woman smash into a huge container. It is only then that she smiles with satisfaction, at the woman sprawled on her ass, but also at Yukio's text. She hears Wade quip, "I pity the guy who pressures her into prom sex" and briefly she remembers what happened to that guy: confined to the hospital and unable to walk for days. She smirks at that. But more importantly, Yukio loves her. Colossus and the crazy super soldier lady are beating the crap out of each other, Wade has given himself a wedgy and is methodically plowing through each and every henchmen of Francis', spelling out the villain's name on the ground, there's a woman that needs saving and there's an insane British guy that needs to be taken down a notch and she's crushing guys with her powers, but Yukio loves her. She feels like she's on top of the world. 


	6. Chapter 6

Somehow, outmatched by the villain, his beefed up super soldier lady sidekick and his henchmen, Ellie, Colossus and Deadpool take them down. Ellie is thankful for the training simulations Cyclops insists everyone go through, with each member overseeing X-Men trainees' trainings. Colossus obviously had been Ellie's. She'd been taught the value of teamwork and working together and making sure you have each other's back. She'd finally unleashed her full power against the super soldier chick, exploding and flying in the air to land right smack on top of the woman.

She'd lost consciousness afterwards. She hadn't tried that before. When she comes to she is on Colossus' shoulder and he's gently placing her on the ground away from the chaos, concern or what passes for concern on his normally impassive face now etched all over it. She'd set the whole shipyard on fire, set the old ship, the containers, vehicles,  exploding up in flames. The ship had slowly tipped to the side and collapsed with a loud crash, sending debris everywhere. Colossus, Ellie, Wade and his girlfriend, a pretty woman who just looks confused and afraid, are safe. Colossus had located the glass capsule where Wade had hastily thrown the woman in to save her from the ship, lifted the slab of rubble and Ellie had gone in to set the woman free. She'd thanked both of them. Wade had shot Francis, against Colossus' wishes, Wade had reunited with his girlfriend and all's well that ends well.

Colossus calls for clean up before the media come in and informs the police as well. As he watches Wade walk away with his girlfriend, he comments, "Are they not the cutest couple?"

Ellie just looks at them and dismisses that with a curt, "Like I said, he's okay. He's a moron, but he's okay. But she could do better."

* * *

Ellie stays out as long as she could before Colossus finally tells her everything is sorted and they need to go home, back to the mansion. She doesn't really want to go home.   She dreads the talk with Yukio. She knows they've just texted each other but there will be a lot of talking and processing, too, before everything is truly okay.

But Colossus takes one look at her and says, "It is going to be fine. You will see."

Ellie makes a face. "Please stop."

"She will take you back and everything will be right as rain."

"Oh, my god, seriously, stop," Ellie says.

"She cares for you, you know."

That pricks her attention. "Yeah?"

Colossus looks at her, face perpetually impassive as they walk up the driveway and says, with as much sincerity as he can, "Yes." He shrugs. "We cannot stop what we feel. Or change it. It is, what you say, unstoppable force."

The door to the mansion opens and there, standing on the doorstep in all her pink-haired glory is Yukio, looking worried and anxious and apprehensive and relieved. But mostly she sees something there she hadn't noticed before: concern and love.  Yukio smiles at her and waves.

Despite her best efforts, Ellie can't help but return the smile.

Colossus takes this moment to say, "In the words of Wade Wilson, you go get her, lion."

"It's tiger," Ellie corrects him.

"Whatever. It is same difference, no?"

Ellie shakes her head and starts to jog towards Yukio. Yukio meets her half-way and they almost crash into each other. Yukio giggles nervously.

"Hey," Yukio says, breathless.

Ellie swallows the lump down her throat, wills the butterflies to stop fluttering in her stomach. "Hey."

Yukio puts her arms around Ellie's waist, making Ellie's arms tingle.

"What took you so long?" Yukio whispers.

Ellie shrugs, nonchalant. "Traffic."

Yukio smiles, gently kisses Ellie, leaving her breathless.

"I've missed you," Yukio whispers now.

"I've missed you, too," Ellie replies.

"I'm sorry."

"Me, too."

"You said I'm your girlfriend," Yukio says giddily.

Ellie smiles uncertainly. "Yeah, I'm sorry, it just slipped out...if you think we're moving too fast...I mean, I'm not very good at these things..."

"Hey, it's okay, I _want_  to be your girlfriend," Yukio says.

"Really?" Ellie says, not believing her ears. When Yukio nods, Ellie says, "You said you love me."

Yukio gives her an awkward smile. "Yeah...too soon? I got...really excited and I was being in the moment...and..."

Ellie shakes her head and says, "It's fine. I think I care for you, too."

Yukio's smile is so dazzling Ellie thinks she has to shut her eyes.

"Let's not fight again," Yukio says now, "I hate fighting."

"Pretty sure we might fight again in future...we're too different not to."

Yukio looks at her in exasperation.

"Okay, okay, but even if we do, let's try to kiss and make-up _immediately_ afterwards," Ellie says with a grin. "That's the best part right? And make-up sex."

"Get room, you two,"Colossus quips as he makes his way up the door.

Yukio blushes.

* * *

Ellie had lain on her bed, Yukio propped up beside her, listening to Ellie recount their battle with the evil Francis and his minions. After a hot shower and a dinner (Ellie hadn't realized how famished she was until she got to the dining hall. Fighting always made her hungry). Ellie had told her about the super soldier chick, about her slamming the lady against a container with her powers, crushing some guys in the same way, and going full on warhead afterwards, destroying the ship, the yard, and its contents with her power. Yukio had listened with rapt attention, nodding and asking questions where necessary, shaking her head at Wade's antics and saying "Aaawww" when Wade reunited with his girlfriend. "That is so sweet."

Ellie knits her eyebrows. "He shot the guy at pointblank range."

"Except for that. But it sounds very romantic."

Ellie rolls her eyes. "Of course you'd think that," she comments as she rolls on her back and puts her hands behind her head, staring up at the ceiling.

"How'd you control your powers?"Yukio suddenly asks. "It seems like you're a walking nuclear warhead."

"Scared?" Ellie teases.

Yukio shakes her head with a grin.

"I used to be able to conjure it only when I'm pissed," Ellie explains. "But Professor X taught me to control it - something about accessing a place between rage and serenity."

Yukio nods. "Mine is finding a focal point. The chains help me focus my powers."

"Cool."

They fall silent for awhile.

"Does it hurt when you...explode like that?" Yukio asks. Yukio is staring openly and appreciatively at the skin revealed by Ellie's tank top and shorts. Ellie should be conscious but having somebody look at her the way Yukio is looking at her now makes it hard to do that. She'd just explained to Yukio that Dr. McCoy - Hank - had specifically designed her suit just for her so that it doesn't burn when she lights up. The suit is designed to withstand up to 6,000 degrees.

Ellie shakes her head. "No. It's what Dr. McCoy is fascinated with. My skin doesn't burn up but everything else will."

Yukio runs a hand on Ellie's muscled arm. "Will it hurt me?"

Ellie looks at her, looks at how vulnerable Yukio is. She realizes that Yukio is afraid she might hurt her. Either through her powers or through something else. It dawns on her, at that moment, that the last thing she wants to do is hurt Yukio. That she would sacrifice herself first before hurting Yukio. She realizes then that she cares for Yukio.

She shakes her head now. "No, I don't think so. Dr. McCoy has this theory  that my aura keeps me from burning. He says if you touch my skin, you'd be too close to my own aura, my protection, to burn." She cocks her head. "Although some people had tried and been hurt. Dr. McCoy also says it depends too, probably on who you're with. Sometimes, if the other person can generate his or her own power they could cancel out my power and...stuff..." Her voice trails off when she realizes Yukio is staring at her. "Oh, yeah, we totally had that conversation."

Yukio moves   closer. "So I could totally cancel out your power?"

Ellie swallows, clears her throat. "Uh, maybe, dunno."

Yukio nods.

They lay in silence for awhile before Yukio lays a hand on Ellie's right shoulder, just above her heart, tracing the scar there.

"Where'd you get this?"

Ellie looks down at Yukio's fingers touching her scar, tries to ignore the electricity surging from her fingertips and going down her spine.

"Got it over a brawl gone bad.That's the stab wound that finally made me realize I had to clean up my act or I'd end up dead," Ellie explains.

Yukio lays her head on Ellie's chest, Ellie putting her arm around her. They lay still and silent for awhile before Yukio says, "Hey, Ellie?"

"Hmm?"

Yukio lifts her head. She looks at Ellie, gaze steady and tender. "I'm glad I met you."

Ellie looks back at her, rubs a hand on Yukio's back, hand finally resting on the small of her back.

"I'm glad I met you, too,"she finally says.

Yukio smiles,tracing the smooth line of her jaw, her strong chin, the fragile line of the bone at her temples. Ellie puts a hand on Yukio's waist. Yukio's fingertips move to Ellie's shoulders, tracing the curve of her shoulder, the line of her arm, the bend of her elbow, sending electric shock waves through Ellie. Yukio rests her forehead on Ellie's.

"Why are you so hot?" Yukio whispers to Ellie.

 Ellie only smiles, rubs the silk of Yukio's long, pink hair,  the smoothness of her cheeks, the softness of her lips.

Yukio leans over, slowly lowers her head. Ellie meets her half way, meets her lips in a long, slow kiss. Ellie's hands snake inside Yukio's top, feels the warmth of her skin beneath her fingers. Yukio moans softly, rolls on top of Ellie, straddling her, and grabs the hem of her shirt,pulls it off. Ellie holds her,  takes in the smoothness of Yukio's skin, drinks it all in, runs a hand on her stomach, tries to calm her racing heart. Yukio leans over, hands on either side of Ellie's face, brushes a kiss softly over Ellie's lips, once, twice, thrice, the last, slow and tender and deep, leaves Ellie breathless. Yukio's hands reach down, grabs the hem of Ellie's shirt and pulls it up and out of her head so that they are both half-naked. Yukio grins, leans over her again, kisses her frown lines, nibbles at her neck, sending electric tingles down Ellie's spine.

"Too fast?" Yukio whispers,as her hand dips beneath the sheets, teases her with soft touches, gentles the touch with fingertips.

"No," Ellie manages to say as her breath catches. "If anything it's..." She stops, feels the jolt of Yukio's touch, lets out a soft, embarassed moan. "Not fast enough."

Long stroking touches. "How about now?" Yukio whispers teasingly.

Ellie wraps her arm around her, rolls her on her back, and kisses her as much feeling as she can muster, more feeling than she'd felt safe or comfortable enough to show her before.

Ellie just smiles, unable to say anything, moving slowly to the rhythm she set while she planted small kisses all over her body.

Yukio's hand drift over her body, exploring her body with desire, hunger. Ellie holds Yukio's gaze as they move with the same rhythm, and Ellie sees it, the love in Yukio's eyes, in her soft kisses, in the way she holds her, in the way she whispers "I love you" to her pleasure crashes over both of them like a tidal wave.

Later, much, much later, when both are spent and sated, they cling to each other, kissing and caressing, until they both fall asleep, hearts beating as one...


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey, fellow NTW/Yukio fans. Thanks for the kudos and reviews. Rewrote some parts of this story. More to come soon! Thanks again. ^_^

Ellie wakes up with a start to Yukio lying on her side, by her left side, head propped on her right hand, gazing down at Ellie.

"Hey, sleepyhead," Yukio says, leaning over and brushing her lips lightly on Ellie's.

"Hey," Ellie replies, yawning and stretching at the same time.

"You sleep like a log,"Yukio observes. "You snore like one, too."

Ellie grins, grabs Yukio, rolls on top of her and grins. Yukio squeals and giggles.

"Logs don't snore. What're you talking about?" Ellie murmurs, burying her face in Yukio's neck.

Yukio squirms, as Ellie's breath tickles her. "No, probably not. But if they could I bet they snore like you."

Ellie pulls away, knits her eyebrows, and says, "What?"

Yukio bursts out laughing as Ellie grins and starts tickling her. They end up in a playful tussle that ends with Ellie pinning Yukio beneath her with her arms and legs. They both try to catch their breath, from all the laughing and wrestling before Ellie stops and just looks at her. Yukio grows silent, too and just stares at her.

"I wonder what people will think when they see us together," Yukio asks.

Ellie shrugs. "Dunno...we make a cute couple?"

Yukio grins and kisses her. In the middle of kissing, her phone rings and she reaches out to answer it and rolls away from Yukio, blanket covering her body, Ellie groaning in protest. By the way Yukio suddenly bounces up and down, Ellie knows it's probably one of her equally cheerful friends. She knows this will take awhile so she rolls out of bed, too and naked, goes to the bathroom to take a shower. But not before Yukio covers the receiver of her phone and playfully says, "I'd join you but I haven't talked to my best friends in ages."

Ellie just smirks as she closes the bathroom door.

When she comes out Yukio is still on the phone, but given that she overhears Yukio say, "Mom" and "Dad" a few times. When Yukio starts speaking in rapid Japanese, it confirms Ellie's guess.

* * *

"So, mom, I want to tell you something,"Yukio begins in Japanese.

"What?" Her mother asks. "Have they given you your own mission yet?"

"Um, no," Yukio says, eyeing Ellie as she dresses in a shirt and jeans. Ellie runs a hand on her head and motions to Yukio that she's going to have breakfast. What amazes Yukio about her girlfriend is how unaware Ellie seems to be about how attractive she is. Yukio isn't blind. She's seen the appreciative glances from the other mutants. If they were to rate all the mutants in the Mansion, Ellie would probably be in the top ten. She knows some people probably want to ask Ellie out but her surly, angry rage monster demeanor has probably discouraged people from asking her out. Yukio just has more guts than more people. It doesn't hurt that Ellie likes her back, too.  Yukio waves at Ellie as Ellie leaves for breakfast.

"You're heading your own team?" her mother guesses.

"Mom,no," Yukio says, exasperated. She switches to English when Ellie leaves the room. "Only senior members get to head teams - like Cyclops and Storm and so on..."

"Oh. So what're you going to tell me?" When Yukio doesn't respond. "Well, go on then,  the suspense is killing me..."

"I'm..."Yukio says, closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and slowly lets it out. "Seeing someone..."

"Oh," her mother says. "You can _see_ people? Are you psychic or something now? We thought you only had the one superpower..."

"What? No. I don't think that's what psychic means," Yukio says. "Anyway, mom, I'm...dating someone..."

There is a silence on the other end. Yukio rolls her eyes.

"Oh,that's wonderful, too," her mom finally says. She hesitates before asking tentatively, "Is he Japanese? If he's not, that's fine, but is he at least Asian?"

Yukio sighs. Of course that's the first thing her mother wants to know.

"No, not Japanese mom," Yukio replies, shuddering. "Or Asian."

"Well, he's not one of those mutants in that school, is he?" Her mother asks now. "I know it sounds terrible but I don't want my grandchild suffering anymore than he or she should..."

"Mom, eeww, stop, let's not talk about grandchildren yet, ok? Gross," Yukio says in disgust, making a face as she does so. "And... I'm dating a mutant."

There is an ominous silence at the other end of the line, followed by an audible sniffle. Yukio rolls her eyes again. Leave it to her mom to be a stereotypical mom. An Asian mom. She hears some rustling sound before a deep male voice booms on the other end and she hears her father saying, "Yukio! So you're dating someone! That's great news, honey!" She hears a muffled sound and can hear a bit of Japanese in the background, she can hear her father saying, "Pull yourself together, woman!"

"So when do we get to meet this mystery boy?"her father asks eagerly.

"Uh...we're kinda taking it slow right now? We're not yet on the meet-the-parents phase of our...relationship,"Yukio says.

"Nonsense," her father says. "We're coming to see you anyway. Bring the lucky guy with you so we can meet him."

"Dad..."

"Gotta go, your mom is having a full-on panic attack,"her father hastily says and the line goes dead.

Yukio stares at her phone. "Oh, just imagine when you meet Negasonic, you guys. You'd be _thrilled_ ," she says out loud.

* * *

Ellie is finished with breakfast, and heading to a briefing with Colossus and some of the others when she meets Yukio in the hallway.

"Hey,babe!" Yukio says cheerfully, waving at her.

Ellie smiles, nodding, liking the easy way with which Yukio calls her affectionately, but not liking the looks they gets from the others passing them in the hallway.

"Great news!" Yukio says. "My best friends and my parents are coming to New York and they wanna meet you. Over dinner. Yay!" She says this last part cheerfully and then bounds down the hallway to th dining hall.

"Meeting the parents? Already?"Peter Maximoff says. "Prepare to be grilled." He smirks as he speeds away.

Colossus, who is walking beside Ellie nods.

Ellie stops in the middle of the hall and lets that information slowly dawn on her:she is meeting Yukio's parents. In her experience, meeting someone's parents is always a disaster.


	8. Chapter 8

Ellie tugs at her blouse and coat and wipes her clammy fingers down her jeans. She looks at her head in the mirror and runs her head over it. It has grown a bit since last she shaved it but she wishes it could be longer. It's still too short for her taste. At least probably too short for Yukio's parents. She'd removed the nose ring, put on less dark make-up, tries to make herself a little less goth,  to make a good first impression on Yukio's parents.

  
Yukio glances at her from her make-up kit, smiles and says, "You look gorgeous, babe. Don't worry."

Ellie looks at her. Yukio looks great in her blouse and tight jeans, pink hair cascading down her shoulders and back in waves, make-up just right,accentuating her her cheekbones and making her skin luminous.

"Easy for you to say,"Ellie says.  
Yukio looks at her, grins, leans over and kisses her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Dopinder looking at them surreptitiously at the mirror.

"The fuck you looking at?" she snaps at Dopinder, glaring at him.

  
Dopinder looks away.

"Babe!" Yukio says, "Be nice." She looks at Dopinder and smiles.

"Dinner with my parents."

"Oh, that is wonderful,Ms..."

"Yukio,"Yukio says.

"Ms. Yukio," Dopinder says. "I'm Dopinder."

"Hi Dopinder!" Yukio says cheerfully.

"Hello, Ms. Yukio, nice to meet you," Dopinder says. "And may I just say Ms. Negasonic that you are looking fine today. I'm sure dinner with Ms. Yukio's parents will be great."

Ellie sighs. "Out of all the cabs in the city, we had to get in this one?"  
Yukio turns to her and says, "I like him."

"Of course you do."

* * *

Dopinder drops them off at a restaurant called "Le Fusion". As Yukio thanks Dopinder and pays him, Ellie says, "Looks pretentious."

"I made the reservations, it's got good reviews, and my parents are always looking for the next up and coming restaurant," Yukio explains.

"Doesn't make it less pretentious," Ellie comments.

"Well, give it a try anyway," Yukio says. "If you don't like it we can just go check out something else."

"Alright."

"Plus, if you behave tonight maybe there's gonna be something for you, too...later," Yukio says with a wink.

Ellie smirks. "I'm always on my best behavior."

Yukio raises an eyebrow.

  
"Okay, okay, can't believe I'm saying this... I'll..." Ellie looks up at the sky, and says, "Behave..."

  
Yukio smiles, reaches out a hand and squeezes Ellie. "You'll be fine." She runs a hand on Ellie's face. "I love you."

  
Ellie gives her a lop-sided grin. "Me, too."

Yukio slips her fingers into Ellie's, looks at the restaurant. She looks at Ellie.

  
Ellie nods. "Let's do this.

* * *

"So...you're a mutant, as our daughter is a mutant...so you're, what, mutant lady friends?" Yukio's mother asks over dinner.

Ellie looks at her, thinks of what to say. Yukio's mother is shorter than her, with pearls on her neck and ears,  a nice beige dress, an expensive looking haircut, looking prim and proper and well-mannered. Yukio's father is tall and bespectacled, hair graying at the temples and sides,handsome in a middle-aged Richard Gere kind of way. He is dressed in a casual dinner jacket,  shirt and chinos, and isn't as uptight as his wife. Ellie  immediately knows who Yukio takes after. She can like this guy.

Right now, he is telling his wife that her question is inappropriate. Ellie leans over a bit and whispers to Yukio, "Just to be clear, she's okay with me being a girl and dating you but she isn't okay with me being a mutant?"

Yukio nods. "Yes. Progress I guess?"

  
"I don't get it."

  
"Just...roll with it."

Yukio's dad clears his throat and says, "So, Ellie what do you do, in your spare time?"

"Uh..."

  
Yukio quickly says, "My dad's an engineer but he likes to tinker around with gadgets, and stuff..."

  
"I like tinkering around with gadgets," Yukio says. "It's relaxing. And it's...gadgets. They make sense. They're easier to deal with than people." When Yukio just looks at her, she quickly adds, "Except you. You're okay."

Mollified, she turns to her father. Her father excitedly says, "I'm working on this gadget that can carry a hundred pounds more than a man."

"Cool," Ellie says. "What material are you using?"

  
"Lightweight material - carbon fiber. But I want it to be sturdy so I'm thinking adamantium?"

  
"That's hard to make though,"Ellie points out.

  
"Yes. I'm trying to synthetize a chemical that would replicate the features of adamantium but would be more cost-effective."

  
"Nice."

  
"What about you?"

  
Ellie shrugs. "Nothing big right now. I'm just taking apart cellphones, studying them, put them back together."

  
Yukio's father nods. "You know what amazes me?" Ellie's eyebrows shoot up. "Nanotech."

  
"Yeah, that's pretty bad ass."

  
"They're doing some really cutting-edge stuff with nanotech..."

  
As they continue to chat, Yukio watches Ellie listen attentively to her father. Her mother sits beside her father, adamantly refusing to take part in the conversation. Suddenly, her mother speaks up.

  
"So I'll never have normal non-mutant grandchildren," Yukio's mom whines.

  
There is a silence for a beat before Ellie asks, uncertainly, face looking a little horrified, "Grandchildren?"

  
Her father closes her eyes in exasperation, and Yukio rolls her eyes.

  
"Oh my god, mom," Yukio says.

  
As if on cue, Peter Maximoff appears as if out of nowhere, leaving a lot of flying skirts, table napkins and the edges of table cloths flying.

  
"Maximoff?" Ellie asks.

  
"Peter, hey," Yukio says, as if out of relief. "Mom, Dad, this is Quicksilver".

  
Maximoff waves at them before he turns to Ellie and Yukio.

"Uh, hey, there's an emergency at the Mansion..." Maximoff begins.  
"What kind of emergency?" Ellie asks.

  
Maximoff shrugs. "Uh...there was an explosion at the Cerebro...?"

  
"Again?" Ellie asks.

  
"Yes, and you guys are needed...."

  
"I don't understand...why not just get a clean-up crew to clear it all up?" Yukio says.

  
"Because..." Maximoff says, trying to think, "Uh...there's a thing...with the thing...and..."

  
Ellie knits her brows. "And you couldn't just...call us instead?"

  
"You told me to contact you in case there are emergencies!" Maximoff finishes lamely.

  
Ellie looks at him before she tells Yukio's parents, "Could you...excuse us for a sec please?" She doesn't wait for their response as she throws down the napkin, grabs Yukio and Maximoff and marches both of them out of the restaurant.

* * *

"What in the fucking hell, Maximoff?" Ellie demands.

  
"You told me to rescue you if things went south," Maximoff says.

  
"And how would you know if things went south?"

  
"You'd..." And here something seems to dawn on Maximoff, as his voice trails off, "You'd send me a message..."

  
"And did I send you a message?"

  
"No, you did not," Maximoff says, looking embarassed.

  
"I don't understand..."Yukio begins. "What's going on?"

  
Ellie closes her eyes and pinches her nose. "I asked Maximoff to come bail us out of dinner if things got bad...but only as a last resort..."

  
"Oh..."

  
"Don't freak, okay? It was a dumb idea I know..."

  
Yukio just laughs. "Yeah, it's a dumb idea...and my parents are great...you didn't have to do that..."

  
"...Except your mom not liking me because I'm a mutant and not because I'm a girl which is a step-up I guess," Ellie notes. "And the fact that she started talking about grandkids."

  
Yukio makes a face. "Sorry about that. My mom gets weird sometimes. But hey, look on the bright side, she hasn't talked about weddings yet."  
Ellie shudders. "Please let her talk about that in another five or ten years..."

  
Yukio grins.

  
"Welp, seems like my work is done here,"Maximoff says. "Next time, text."

  
"I didn't, so you shouldn't've come,"Ellie says but Maximoff has disappeared.

  
"Shall we get back?" Yukio asks.

  
"Might as well...get this over with," Ellie says, smiling grimly.

* * *

"Well, that wasn't so bad," Yukio says as she waves goodbye to her mom and driving away in the cab.

Ellie says, "If you call your mom disapproving of me because I'm a mutant not bad, then yeah, sure."

  
"Oh, give her a chance, she'll come around," Yukio says, still waving cheerily at the cab until it turns the corner.

  
"So, I'm guessing I'm not your first," Ellie says with a grin.

  
"Honestly?"

  
"No, lie to me."

  
Yukio giggles. "No, you're not. But you're my first everything else." She looks at Ellie with tenderness.

  
Ellie smiles. "Cool."

  
"So...you want kids some day?" Yukio asks as they wait for a cab.

  
"No, not really, but do you want kids?" Ellie asks.

  
"Someday," Yukio says her eyes going dreamy.

  
Ellie smiles tenderly at her girlfriend. She'd never thought about it but maybe, with Yukio, she could. Baby steps.  "Okay. Then maybe someday, for me too," she replies.

  
Yukio looks at her, squeals and throws her arms around her. "Really?"

  
" _Someday_ being the operative word," Ellie emphasizes as her arm goes around Yukio.

  
"Okay. Someday," Yukio says with a nod. "I can live with that."

  
As Yukio hugs her, a cab squeals to a stop in front of them and the familiar face of Dopinder peers out and says, "Hop in!"

  
"Oh my god, seriously?" Ellie says as Yukio grabs her hand and opens the cab. "New York is so small it might as well be Vancouver."

  
"You know, sometimes I think it is,"Yukio agrees.

* * *

  
Ellie and Yukio settle into their life at the X-Men Mansion as a couple. Ellie didn't want it to be a big deal and worried that people would either freak or be weird about it, but aside from the initial occassional odd looks - mostly people wondering how such polar opposites as Ellie and Yukio could be together - people just naturally accepted their relationship. When they weren't in meetings, briefings, talks or lectures with the professor, practices in the training simulation room, the flight simulator (Ellie is learning how to fly a jet),doing drills, working out, having the occassional sparring, and of course, helping hunt down the bad guys - whether it's the Brotherhood or some other evil villain's club that's just cropped up, government guys such as Stryker or Trask - and the occassional lone wolf mutant who just wants to wreak havoc on the populace.

  
Under Colossus tutelage, Ellie gets better with her fighting skills and eventually graduates from being a trainee to being a full-fledged member of the X-Men. Yukio, still a trainee, is well on her way to becoming a full-fledged member as well.

  
Colossus is right, of course, Yukio is a good influence on Ellie. And though she's still moody and surly, and still can't stand being with other X-Men other than Colossus and Yukio, Ellie has mellowed down a bit that the others can freely talk to her - or at least greet or wave at her without her going supernova on them or glaring.

  
All is well in the Mansion, until they hear again from an old friend. Or rather not so much a friend as such but a thorn in the X-Men's side.  
For after a quite a few months of peaceful existence, Wade Wilson, a.k.a. Deadpool a.k.a. Douchepool has resurfaced, wreaking havoc again in the world.


	9. Chapter 9

Yukio slides the steaming hot pancakes on Ellie's plate, puts butter and honey on it, pours her freshly brewed coffee, hands her a fork, sits beside her, kisses her on the cheek and says, "Eat your pancakes, babe."

  
Ellie stares at her pancakes thick with oozing honey. "This looks unhealthy..."

  
Yukio looks at her and pouts so Ellie says, "But it looks good."

  
Yukio grins as she plants another kiss on Ellie, grabs her hand and holds it as she takes a bite of her blueberry pancakes.

"I'm gonna start gaining weight," Ellie complains as she starts eating the pancakes. "But...these are really good,babe."

  
"Thanks," Yukio says happily eating her own pancakes and drinking juice in between.

  
If there's one thing Ellie really likes about Yukio, it's that she really takes good care of her. They've been going out more than a year now and every morning, Yukio makes sure Ellie has breakfast. In fact, she makes sure Ellie has lunch and dinner. Even when they're tired from training or bringing in the bad guys, Yukio makes sure Ellie has food in her stomach.

  
Ellie had complained about eating too much - she could go for hours without food, especially when she's in the simulation or bringing in the bad guys or even just tinkering with gadgets. But Yukio had insisted and finally, one day when Ellie had asked her why she has a thing for making sure Ellie is fed, Yukio shrugs and says, "Dunno...it's an Asian thing I guess? We're not a very showy people? I mean, I am obviously but mostly we show how we care about the people in our lives through this..." After that, Ellie had just let her feed her knowing it's just another way for Yukio to express her feelings for Ellie.

  
So they've been going out more than a year and things have settled into a rhythm. They're just another couple in the Mansion, pretty much left alone unless they're needed for a mission or for other tasks.

  
Ellie has grown her hair - or rather, Yukio has suggested she grow her hair longer, and she helps her gel and wax it to within an inch of its life. Today, Yukio has helped give her hair a spiky style. At the end of it, Yukio had stood back from the mirror in satisfaction. Ellie had commented, "How is it possible I look even gayer now than I did before?"

  
Yukio had chuckled. "You look awesome." She plants a kiss on Ellie's cheek. Then she remembers something, fishes something from her jewelry box and offers it to Ellie. "Put these on."

  
Ellie looks at the earrings. "They look beautiful."

  
Yukio puts her hands around Ellie's waist, rests her chin on Ellie's shoulder and says, "You're beautiful."

  
Ellie makes a face.

  
"You are. You're hot. Seriously."

  
Ellie blushes as Yukio draws back, gets the earrings from her and puts it on Ellie's ear. As she looks at Ellie, she could see the mirror reflecting back the most perfect profile she's ever seen.

  
"Perfect," she says as she steps back and surveys her handiwork.

  
"Yes,very gay," Ellie jokes as she looks at herself in the mirror.

* * *

As they continue to eat in comfortable silence, Yukio looks up at Ellie and says, "You've got something on your face..."

  
Ellie feels self-conscious then as she sometimes does with Yukio. "What?"

  
"Some syrup...over there..." Then Yukio gently grabs Ellie's shirt and kisses her on the side of her lips and on her lips. "There. It's gone now," she says with a mischievous smile as she wipes away at Ellie's cheek.

  
Ellie smiles.

They are interrupted by the hulking figure of Colossus, stomping into the kitchen with a smile as he says, "What did I tell you about _not_ making the kitchen your personal make-out area?"

Ellie rolls her eyes. "We were _not_ making out."

  
Yukio stands up and heads to the cupboard, taking out a box of corn flakes, and a carton of milk from the refrigerator. "Yeah, I was just...checking to see if there was something on her face..."

"With your mouth?" Colossus asks, as he takes a seat.

  
"Give us a break, Colossus," Ellie says with a sigh. She watches Yukio go around the kitchen, and is amazed by how sexy she looks. Yukio doesn't walk, she glides across the floor. She walks, or more like, struts like a supermodel, all long strides and hip sways, sashaying down hallways and streets like a model. In another life, she thinks maybe Yukio could've been a model. She has the body, the build and the face for it. The early morning sunlight caresses perfection on her cheeks, her lips, the pureness and innocence in her eyes. She's perfect. And everything she does seems perfect, there never is a crease on her blouse or pants, no smudge of make-up on her face, or a smear of lipstick outside the outline of her lips,hair always perfect and shiny.  She always looks well-groomed and ready to step out as from a fashion magazine. But Yukio can still be goofy and funny and smart, something that Ellie finds endearing. Looking at her now, Ellie can't still believe her luck: That this gorgeous specimen would choose her out of everyone else in the world, when she can clearly have anybody else still amazes her. That she puts up with Ellie and her not-so sunny demeanor is a marvel in and of itself.  She turns to Colossus. "We're young and still very hormonal."

  
"So it would seem," Colosuss just says.

Yukio grins at that as she hands Colossus a bowl and sets the box of cereal and carton of milk in front of him. She pats him on the shoulder. "Thank you," Colossus says with delight, like a little boy suddenly given a present.

  
"Enjoy!" Yukio says as she takes her place back at Ellie's side. She slides the remote control to Colossus. Colossus likes watching the morning news with his cereal. Like everything else, Yukio's ability to get along with everybody else, as well as her ability to take care of people never ceases to amaze her. No wonder she's popular with the other X-Men. She's giving the women make-up tips, the girls romantic advice, hanging out with the boys playing video games, arguing with the guys about who the greatest players of the NBA are.

  
As the newscaster gives them a rundown of yesterday and the morning's news - members of the Russian mafia killed off by a lone mercenary clad in red and who is also linked to the violent, grisly, limbless deaths of some Yakuza in Tokyo, members of the Chinese Triad in Hong Kong and the bullet-riddled deaths of the Italian mob, Colossus, Ellie and Yukio sit in comfortable silence. No one says it, but Colossus and Ellie  suspect it's Wade Wilson up to his old tricks. Colossus had tried to convince the Professor and Cyclops to allow him to track Deadpool down and bring him in but the professor and Cyclops had wisely pointed out that not only would it be a waste of time as Wade Wilson is too far-gone for saving but that it would be a waste of their resources that, according to the professor is not only finite but already stretched thin as it is.

  
As they let the newscaster drone on and on in the background, Colossus' ears prick up when the woman reports on an explosion in one of the apartments downtown, which has destroyed the whole building.

  
Ellie looks up. "What?"

  
"That is Wade's apartment."

  
Ellie's eyebrow shoot up. "How do you even know that's Wade's apartment?" Then she stops and realizes something. "You know what? Never mind. Of course you keep tabs on that dipshit."

  
"Aaaww, that's sweet,"Yukio says.

  
"It's like the most disturbing and enduring bromance ever," Ellie comments of Colossus' almost friendship with the mercenary motormouth.

  
"Well, I'd like to meet him. He seems nice," Yukio says.

  
Ellie makes a face. "No, eeww."

  
"He risked his life to rescue his girlfriend. It's romantic."

  
"He also risked Colossus' and mine's so," Ellie points out.

  
But then, Colossus holds up a hand as he hears the rest of the news: "...The woman, previously unidentified, has now been identified as Vanessa Carlysle who had been brutally shot, murdered by what appears to be an armed man identified as..."

  
Then a silence descends in the kitchen as Colossus and Ellie exchange a look.

  
Yukio, noticing their silence and the look they exchange, asks, "What?"

Ellie sets her lips in a grim line. "That's...Wade's girlfriend..."

  
Yukio grows quiet. "Oh."

  
Suddenly, Colossus' phone rings and a glance at the caller ID indicates that it is Dopinder.

  
"Why do you have Dopinder's number?" Ellie asks. "What, are we friends with everybody now?"

  
Colossus holds up a hand, listens and replies intermittently: "Yes, I heard..." "Yes, we are sorry for his loss..." "Yes, I will..." "Alright...goodbye..."

  
When the phonecall ends, Colossus seems to have made his decision as he throws his spoon in his bowl and says, "I have to find him."

  
Ellie looks up. "No, you don't."

  
Colossus shakes his head. "Yes, I do."

  
"Professor X won't allow you..."

  
"I will talk to the professor..."

  
"Not worth sticking out your neck for him..." Ellie says. "Besides if he wanted to be dead and disappeared, he's going to stay dead and disappeared....and you can't save him anyway. He's too far gone to need saving..."

  
"He will recover, he always does," Colossus says, determined. "I will find him and get him here..."

  
As he exits the kitchen, Ellie says, "Wait, Colossus..."

  
"He is my friend, as you are my friend. He would do the same for me."

  
"Probably not."

  
"Okay, probably not, but I have to help him."

  
Ellie sighs. She has to admit the douchebag merc might need help. The asshole can be alright if he wants to be.

  
"You want to come?"

  
Ellie shakes her head. "Hmmm...let me see...look for his various appendages scattered over an x-mile radius, put them in a sack and hope they grow back in the grossest way possible? No, thanks."

  
Colossus nods. "Alright. I will talk to the professor and bring him here. Keep your comm open so I can contact you if I need back-up."

  
"Okay, be careful..."

  
When Colossus leaves, Yukio leans over and says, "Hmmm...if he grows back does that mean I get to meet him?"

  
 "I hope not. With luck, Wade's gonna drag us into one of his stupid crusades again..."

  
Inwardly though, Ellie hopes Wade is okay despite everything. She will find out soon enough when Colossus comes back with Wade's body


	10. Chapter 10

_Ellie's eyes open to find herself in a darkly lit corridor. The sounds are muffled as if she is underwater. She tries to walk but her feet feel like lead. There is a distant sound of a musicbox, a distorted child's voice singing "...The sun come out tomorrow..." Laughter. Tinkling of glasses. Footsteps. She slowly and painstakingly makes her way down the corridor, finding herself at the end of the hallway. It looks like the Mansion but the colors are all wrong, the portraits, carpets, heavy velvet curtains, ornate Victorian wood gone. She pushes the door open, finds what seems to be an apartment. It looks cozy - couch, sofa, pillows, billowing curtains, huge French windows. She hears the laughter coming from here. Turns to look, sees a woman and a child by the large windows. There is an explosion behind her. As if in slow motion she is thrown across the room, hits a wall. She looks at the glowing figure standing by the doorway. It's a tall, hooded figure, impossible to make out from this distance if it's a man or a woman. She can't quite make out the face either. It's obscured by the hood. There is a scream. Fire shoots out of his hands, grows into a large one, a fireball, throws it, she tries to shout, tries to run to the woman and her child, wants to shield them, absorb the energy, knows she can take it, but can't move, feels rooted to the spot. She tries to conjure up her powers but her hands, her body, only flicker and fizzle. She is panicking now. Desperate. Her heart is pounding. Dread creeps into her being. Fear coils in her stomach. She has to save the mother and child. But the man has unleashed his power and as the flames engulf the room, she looks at the man and the hood is down and she can see Wade's scarred face, as she looks on in horror, helpless, the woman turns to her and she sees the face now and the face is Vanessa's but then, to her horror it has suddenly changed to Yukio's and as Wade's hands explode fire, it  engulfs everything, slowly, painfully, mercilessly, and she sees the flames crawl up to swallow Yukio in its embrace and she sees her slowly turning into ash and there's a scream and Yukio pleading,hands outstretched, "Ellie...help me...please..." and she realizes the person screaming, tears running down her face, is her_...

* * *

 Ellie wakes up drenched in sweat, breathless and panic-stricken, aglow with her power. At first, she feels disoriented, as if she doesn't know where she is. It is dark and silent and she doesn't know what to do.

  
But then she realizes someone is beside her and a voice is saying, softly, soothingly, "Hey, baby, take it easy, deep breaths, baby, deep breaths..."

  
As she gets used to her surroundings, she sees light spilling out from the streetlights outside, illuminating one part of the bedroom. She sees unicorn stuffed toys, teddy bears, a Pikachu toy, Domo, Hello Kitty and Totoro, some Japanese calligraphy strewn on the floor, Yukio's chain by the bedside table, her X-Men uniform hanging on the door of her cabinet by its hanger. She could see her clothes on chairs, her boots by the door.  She realizes she's in Yukio's room, where she always spends her nights these days, and that Yukio is beside her, looking very much alive and very much concerned.

  
As she gulps in deep breaths of air, she feels her heart slow down, feels the panic subside, and Yukio nods, in understanding and says, " It was just a dream baby, just a bad dream..."

  
Ellie nods slowly realizing this too. Just a dream...just a dream. She takes a deep breath and sighs with relief. It had seemed so real. She looks at the room and then at Yukio studying her face, beautiful in the half-darkness, long hair forming a curtain around her face and suddenly Ellie is overwhelmed with love and she grabs her and holds her tightly.

  
Yukio is surprised at first and then she hugs her back and whispers, "I love you, too, honey..."

  
Ellie doesn't respond she just grabs hold of Yukio's shirt - her shirt really, that Yukio likes to sleep in and not much else - takes it off and starts kissing her with as much urgency and hunger as she can muster. Yukio kisses her back, helps her out of her top. If Yukio is surprised at this sudden turn of events she doesn't say, only responds to Ellie's kisses. Ellie pulls Yukio to her lap, so that Yukio is straddling her, runs her hands on her back, her thighs, her legs, finally places one hand to her face, the other holding her waist firmly as she kisses her with renewed vigor and purpose. Yukio feels the heat rise up between them, feels the desire pool just beneath her stomach, waiting to explode at each  touch.  Ellie reaches for her underwear, gently removes it. Yukio slowly rocks against Ellie, starts to moan, as Ellie peppers her with kisses, on her cheeks, her neck, her throat, her breasts. Yukio gathers her in her arms, holds her as Ellie's fingertips ghost over her skin, around her, through her, within her, each touch an electric shiver that goes straight to her center making her moan in pleasure. Ellie moves with her, arms strong and firm as she holds Yukio in place. Yukio reaches beneath Ellie, touches her, hears Ellie moan in approval, urging her on. When the pleasure hits Yukio, it surprises her, crashes into her, wave after wave, like an ocean, exploding within her and she clings to Ellie as an anchor. When it subsides she is still straddling Ellie. Ellie kisses her gently before she rolls her over and makes love to her again. Yukio wraps Ellie in her warm embrace,  whispering to her, comforting her, telling her everything's going to be alright, holds her til the trembling subsides, til she is sure Ellie is calm. Ellie doesn't speak, kisses her like it's her last. Yukio just holds her, whispers she loves her. Ellie buries her face in Yukio's neck.

  
She doesn't ask what's happened or what Ellie dreamt about that made her freak out so much. Ellie will tell her in good time. Instead, she waits til Ellie falls asleep, nestled safely in her arms before she falls asleep herself.

* * *

  
It takes Colossus hours to find each and every body part of Wade's. It takes him awhile to get to the mansion, too, dragging Wade's various body parts in a sack.

  
Colossus had taken hours trying to convince the Professor to allow him to bring Wade in. What finally convinces him, Colossus tells Ellie is him telling the Professor, "He has nobody else but us. Is not your X-Men founded on the principles of brotherhood, solidarity, sanctuary for mutants oppressed by others? Wade's the worst kind of all. He has nobody and nothing to live for. We need to give him something to live for. Something to aspire to. If he become X-Men, with training he could be valuable asset."

  
Professor X had remained adamant. Eventually he had relented on the condition that Colossus take full responsibility for Wade and that if Wade misbehaves or does something outside of the law, then Colossus will not only take responsibility but will have to personally bring Wade to justice. Colossus had accepted, confident in his ability to reform Wade. Afterall, he had trained Negasonic. The professor is quick to point out that though Negasonic has delinquent tendencies, she's more just anti-social, moody and surly, and lately, Professor X had noticed a change in the mutant. "Perhaps it could be because of you but it's probably also her new association with Yukio. Or it's perhaps just her growing up. But do not make the mistake of comparing Ellie to Wilson. Ellie is an X-Man. She has come a long way and she understands what and who we are. She fights on the side of good but always within whatever limitations and within the law. Wilson does not. He will have no compunction to use violence within and outside the law to achieve his means. If he kills anyone while he is on your watch, the blood will be on your hands." Colossus understands this and nods.

* * *

  
Colossus informs Ellie about Wade the first time he arrives at the Mansion with Wade's body.

He had called her first thing in the morning, waking her up and Ellie has groggily answered with, "Hello?"

  
Yukio, naked beside her, stirs and holds her tight, arm and leg thrown on Ellie's body, her head resting on Ellie's shoulder, Ellie's arm around her.

  
"I have found Wade. I may need your help later. Are you able?"

  
Ellie looks at Yukio, sound asleep. She remembers the dream. She dreamt about it again. But this time she wills herself to wake up before it gets worse. She's debated talking to Colossus about it or even the professor but decides against it. She draws Yukio close. She does not particularly like Wade, but he did just lose literally everything. She understands this. Or tries to. But she has this ridiculous feeling that anything involving Wade would be potentially dangerous and putting her girlfriend in danger. So she tells Colossus, "No, maybe later."

  
She turns off her phone without waiting for Colossus to answer.

* * *

Predictably Wade's body grows in its grossest, most disgusting way imaginable. Colossus asks whether Ellie could help dress Wade to which Ellie says with revulsion, "No, eewww, you do it. He's your pet project." To which Colossus nods.

After three days, Wade wakes up. He is on one of the many rooms - lying on the couch, when he does.

  
Ellie and Yukio had been on their way to the kitchen to get some breakfast when she hears Colossus' heavily Russian accented voice, stiff and slow and formal, against Wade's more confident, irritating one. She debates checking out the douchebag, unable to decide but Yukio, holding her hand, decides for her and says, "Is that Wade? I wanna meet him..."

  
"What? Why? No..."

  
"Why?"

  
"He's bad news."

  
"I'm just curious...he can grow his body, that's gross but fascinating..."

  
Yukio is already dragging her to the room. Ellie doesn't want to, wants to keep Yukio as far away from Wade as possible, but there's nothing to stop Yukio when she's being like this.

  
They get to the room as Colossus is inviting Wade to join the X-Men.Wade is sprawled on the couch, in civilian clothes, his mask off.

  
"You're wasting your time shiny Jesus. I'm not X-Men material."

  
Ellie snorts. "Understatement of the year."

  
When Wade and Colossus turn to Ellie, Ellie has no choice but to introduce them: "Wade, Yukio. Yukio, Wade."

  
Yukio cheerfully waves with the hand she is holding Ellie with, smiling at Wade warmly.

  
"What, in the fuck knuckles is this?"

  
That question pisses Ellie off and she says, "She's my girlfriend, you intolerant shit." She remembers the dream and resists the urge to blast douchebag into oblivion. Some things never change.

  
"Whoa, whoa, pump the hate brakes Fox and Friends, I'm just surprised anyone would date you. Especially Pinkie Pie from My Little Pony." He says this with a mischievous wink and a smile.

  
Fuck you, Ellie thinks.

  
Yukio takes a look at him. "I like this guy," Yukio decides with a smile.

  
Of course she does, Ellie thinks. She turns to Yukio and says, "Give him a chance." She turns to Wade and says, "It's great seeing you like this."

  
Yukio cheerfully waves goodbye and says, "Bye Wade."

  
Ellie and Yukio leave to Colossus talking to Wade about the ground rules.

  
Ground rules that Wade would promptly break when they are called to help with a young mutant over at the Essex House for Mutant Rehabilitation.


	11. Chapter 11

She hadn't expected the fireball the kid, the ridiculously named "Firefist" (a.k.a. Russell Collins), had directed at her. The little prick had called her Justin Bieber, right before he'd blasted her back against a truck, goaded by that asshole, Douchepool. She takes off her coat, pissed off. Fuck. And she liked that coat. Her coats always get burned off. Maybe she should stop wearing them. Or maybe she should just shut this kid down and call it a day. God knows she'd be doing this town a favor. As she powers up, she sees Colossus shake his head. "Negasonic, no," she hears him say. She sighs. Fuck, it would feel so good to just hit that kid with all she's got. He'll grow up to powerful, she can see that, but he's still young , impulsive, unpredictable and not wholly in control of his powers of his powers.

The other reason why she wants to blast him: He looks a bit like that man from her dream.

She is glad that Yukio is not here and is safe in the mansion.

* * *

They'd argued about it. Heavily.

"I don't see why I can't go," Yukio had said, pouting and sulky.

"It's not...safe," Ellie says, lamely.

"I'm a mutant," Yukio says defiantly. "I can hold my own against anyone."

Ellie raises an eyebrow.

"Okay, not _everyone_..." Yukio concedes. "I just don't understand why I can't come..."

"It's just one little kid. How much havoc can one little fire-wielding mutant wreak?"

"So how come Colossus, Wade and you get to go?"

"Babe, we discussed this - Wade's a trainee, and we don't need a lot of X-Men for it,"Ellie says. "You might be needed somewhere else."

Yukio finally agrees and Ellie leaves her at the Mansion. She doesn't say that it's because Wade is coming and she is apprehensive about what will happen with the mercenary X-Men trainee with them.

* * *

Before Ellie goes though with Colossus and Wade, Professor X stops her in the hallway.

"Hey, professor," she says, nodding at the man.

"Ellie,"Professor X says with a smile. He reaches out to touch Ellie's arm. He has a lot of X-Men to take care of so she knows he is taking time out to talk to her.

She smiles. Professor X has been good to her, taking her in, believing in her when nobody else would, personally training her so she can control her powers, teaching her to control it by accessing that point between rage and serenity. She'd had a lot of rage when she came to the Mansion. She could not understand herself or her powers. Had hated herself for being a mutant. Could not accept it. Was ashamed of it. Being at the Mansion had helped her understand her powers, embrace it, control it, use it for good. Being among the other mutants had made her realize there is nothing wrong with being a mutant. She had learned to love herself for it. Professor X had been instrumental with that. Had led her away from the dangerous, destructive path she had chosen for herself.

Now, Professor X's face is full of care and concern for her. "You look terrible. Have you been sleeping well?"

Ellie would like to lie. Deny it. But being in a room with one of the most powerful telepaths - mutants, in all of humankind tells her it is useless to deny it. She shakes her head.

"I sense some distress in you," Professor X says quietly. He doesn't say anything further. Professor X may be a powerful telepath, but he respects his mutants' privacy and would never encroach on it. "Are you alright?"

* * *

Moments later, they are in one of the many private rooms in the Mansion. Ellie recounting recurring dreams she's had about the powerful man who can conjure fire with his fists, the woman and the child, Wade and Yukio.  Professor X had listened quietly, not saying a word. Among one of the other things she likes about the Professor, when she'd told him about Yukio he had not batted an eyelash, accepted it as easily as he accepted her powers.

He had leaned back on his wheelchair. "Precognition," he states, putting his hands together to make a steeple. "Interesting. Have you had similar dreams like this before?"

Ellie considers this. "I'm not sure. Maybe. This is the most vivid."

Professor X considers this before he speaks. "A possibly new power manifesting itself. It might well be your fears just manifesting itself. Our brains are such a wonderful thing. Our bodies a thing of beauty. Eternally mutating. Evolving into something higher."

"I don't know what it means," Ellie says, wringing her hands. "I've not experienced this before..."

Professor X nods in understanding. "Before you had nothing to lose. Now you have Yukio. Losing her is your fear made manifest..."

Ellie nods. "What do I do? I know it's not good to let these dreams rule my life..."

Professor X nods, and asks her gently, "May I?"

He is asking permission, access to her dreams. Ellie hesitates but she nods. The professor puts his index finger and middle finger on his forehead, closes his eyes. Ellie lets her mental defenses down - defenses that Professor X had taught her to put up. Unlike the others, she had more evolved cognitive abilities, although she cannot control it and they were erratic at best. He had, instead, taught her to concentrate, to focus her energies, to ensure that no one invades her consciousness.

Professor X sees the dream as she sees it. She gasps. She sees it again - the flames, the explosion, the screams, Wade, Vanessa and Yukio's face, always Yukio's face. She feels the anxiety, the panic, the desperation, the fear well up, along with other indescribable emotions that she cannot describe or fathom. But then even as she feels all these things, she feels The Professor's calm voice in her mind, gently guiding her emotions, calming her, helping her, and she feels calm wash over her like a wave.

Professor X opens his eyes and looks at her steadily. "We are not our dreams. And we make our own destiny. The future is not yet set in stone. You must not let your fears overcome you. One usually meets one's destiny on the road one takes to avoid it...the more you prevent yourself or Yukio from facing it, the more it might have dire consequences. Face your fear. Confront it. Let it go through you. Conquer it. Until the only one standing is you, triumphant, over your fears."

Ellie had listened to Professor X, strangely comforted and encouraged by his words. The professor had a knack for choosing the right words at the right time, knowing how to calm her anxieties. He had helped calm her fears before, taught her techniques to quell her anxieties. She'd almost forgotten them now in the noise and hurry of being an X-Men.

* * *

Professor X is right of course. She shouldn't let her own fears rule her. Shouldn't let dreams control her, control Yukio, control her life.

Looking at Wade now, being all ridiculous and being blasted up the building, she realizes there had been a time when that was her. But she isn't that. She's better than that. Let the fears come. She will triumph over it.

* * *

Wade had subdued the boy but had gone on a killing spree when he finds out the boy has been abused. This angers Colossus, and she has to  tell him to stop. "Colossus, no!"she had shouted.

Wade and the boy are subdued, their powers neutralized and they are and thrown in the Ice Box. Ellie shudders. No mutant ever wants to be in the Ice Box.

As they watch the police lead Firefist and Wade away, Ellie almost fears sorry for the Mercenary.

"Should we help him?" she asks Colossus.

Colossus shakes his head. "He has made his bed. He will have to lie in it."

While Ellie would agree, she isn't a stranger to the kind of abuse - minor to severe ones, that mutants are subjected to. But she only nods, catches Wade looking at them, and looks away.

Some people you can't just save.

* * *

That day, when they arrive at the Mansion, the first thing Ellie does is find Yukio. When she does find her, she holds her, apologizes and tells her everything.

* * *

"You should have told me," Yukio says softly.

Elli closes her eyes, leans back on the headboard of the bed, draws Yukio closer and says, "I know. I'm sorry."

"It's okay,"Yukio says. "I understand it. But you can't protect me all the time, babe."

"I know."

"And you know I can take care of myself."

"I know that, too."

"And you know I'll move heaven and earth before I let anything like that come between us."

Ellie opens her eyes. Yukio is looking at her earnestly, openly, a determined look in her eyes.

Yukio smiles. "I intend to stay in your life for good. So people, fate, whatever - they just have to get used to it."

Ellie leans over and kisses her.

"I'm not going anywhere babe," Yukio whispers to her when they pull back from their kiss. "I love you."

Ellie kisses her some more. "I love you, too."

* * *

Days later, they hear Wade has escaped from prison. A few days after that, they hear he has tried to break Russel Collins out of prison. A lot of prisoners die, a few more, including Collins and The Juggernaut, escape. Colossus is furious. He has said he washes his hands off of Wade.

So it comes as a surprise when Wade comes to the Mansion, serenading Colossus with Peter Gabriel and asking him to join him in helping the boy and taking down the Juggernaut.

"I made mistakes. I wanna take it back. You trusted me. I took that trust and turned it into a glory hole in an airport bathroom, one in Minneapolis, you know the one..."

Yukio hears him outside and says, "Is that Wade?"

"Stay here..." Ellie says.

She goes to the balcony to watch Wade shout at Colossus room from down below.

"Colossus...I wouldn't ask for your help unless it was life or death...that kid needs our help. I know you're listening...he's teamed up with the Juggernaut. The Juggernaut! That's like my favorite Marvel character ever but you should never meet your heroes because honestly he's a bit of a dick and like a lot of dicks he's as hard as a rock and causes nothing but problems!"

Ellie doesn't notice Yukio appear behind her, walking up to her as she waves to Wade and says, "Hi, Wade!"

"Hi, Yukio!" Wade greets her back.

"Please don't," Ellie says as Yukio comes up, puts her hands on Ellie's shoulders and snuggles close to her.

"You guys make a super cute couple," Wade says.

"Why do you like the guy? He's a dick," Ellie says. 

Yukio shrugs. "Dunno. I just do."

Below, Wade continues, "Where was I? Oh yeah, Colossus, I don't deserve your friendship or your help but this kid does. And I'm not gonna bail on him like everyone does."

Colossus is quiet. Ellie and Yukio watch his window and Wade standing there.

"You think Colossus is hearing this?" Yukio asks now. 

"I think everyone within a ten-mile radius can hear this," Ellie says. "Wade isn't exactly being quiet here."

"Aaww, c'mon!" Wade groans now. "Any chance Pigeon Wings is available?" Silence.

"Who's Pigeon Wings?" Yukio asks. 

"Warren," Ellie says. 

"Archangel?"

Ellie nods. "The one and only."

Wade speaks up again, frustrated, when Colossus doesn't say anything. "Well, that's just fine."

"Should we help him?"Yukio whispers, feeling sorry for him.

"No,"Ellie says.

"You know what?" Wade speaks up now. "Doing the right thing is sometimes messy and fucked up and not particularly convenient. So stay here, in Chateau De Virgin while we go get our fuck on."

"Why does he call it Chateau de Virgin?" Yukio wonders.

"He thinks everyone's a virgin in the Mansion..."

"You know that's like, so not accurate,"Yukio comments. "I could make a list of all the X-Men who _aren't_ virgins. The list is longer than the virgins."

"Eewww, how do you know this?" Ellie asks. "You know what, never mind..."

"Captain America though? Definitely a virgin," Yukio says.

"Not an X-Man though," Ellie points out.

"Good point."

Colossus' window stays closed. The big guy must be really pissed. As they watch Wade walk backwards and bump against the taxi, fumble to get in and drive away, Ellie sighs.

 _Fuck_. She thinks now they have to help the fucking asshole. _Fuck,fuck, fuck_.


	12. Chapter 12

"I presume that is our most interesting mutant, Mr. Wilson?" Professor asks as both Ellie and Yukio come in from the balcony.

Both nod.

"He wants us to help him rescue that mutant, Russell Collins, the one from TV,"Ellie explains.

"I heard,"Professor X says. He waits for a beat. "Well, aren't you going to help the man? I don't want any mutant in need to feel like we abandoned them in their darkest hour..."

"I thought you didn't like Wade,"Ellie says.

"I disapprove of his methods,not his intentions, there is a difference," Professor X clarifies with a smile. "His heart is in the right place...plus we have been eyeing the Essex House for Mutant Rehabilitation for quite sometime now. We could not move until now. The opportunity had presented itself. Those orphans need our help. Mr. Wilson is right. We fight for what is right. And just and good. You need to be there to make sure things are done properly..."

They hear the floor rumble, and see Colossus lumbering towards them, face grim and determined.

"He is going to get himself killed," Colossus predicts.

Professor X nods. "Especially since he is going up against the Juggernaut. We haven't seen each other in awhile, and we may not be blood, but he is dangerous and he will show no mercy..."

"You know the Juggernaut?" Ellie asks.

Professor X looks at her. "I was responsible for his time in the Ice Box. He is going to be looking for payback..."

"Then he will not stand chance with this man," Colossus declares. "I go now."

Before anyone could say anything he has already left.

"He will need back-up,"Professor X tells them.

Ellie nods. As they turn to head to the hangar, Professor X says, "Ellie..."

"Yes, professor?"

"Save the boy. Save as many innocents as you can," Professor X says. "There will always be room here for young mutants. And even if there aren't, we will find better, safer homes for this children."

"Alright, professor."

"And Ellie..."

Ellie raises her eyebrow in question. "Good luck," the Professor says, smiles and turns to leave.

Ellie nods and turns to Yukio. "Suit up, babe."

* * *

It takes them a few more minutes to get to the Essex House. It's Ellie's first time to fly a jet. In the past it had always been Colossus piloting the jet. But she'd been a trainee then and though Colossus had trained her and she'd logged a sufficient number of hours in the flight simulator, it's nothing compared to piloting the real thing. It feels like piloting a massive bus with wings. But it feels exhilirating, too, as she watches the ground fall away, and the blue sky rush to meet them. She feels like a real X-man then and no longer a trainee. It is, quite literally, fucking awesome.

They land a few feet away from where the action is, see Juggernaut and Colossus beating each other up, see explosions near them, assume that's where Russell, Deadpool and the rest are.

As the jet lands and they both unbuckle, Yukio grabs Ellie, kisses her and says, "Be careful out there, babe."

Ellie grins. "I love you."

Yukio grins back. "I know."

* * *

They run down the slope, Ellie taking the lead. Colossus is trying his best to fight Juggernaut, but it's obvious to both of them that he needs help.

Ellie shouts, "Colossus! Duck!" as Yukio grabs her chain, powers it up with electric energy, twirls it above her and throws it upward. She moves with balletic elegance and confidence. Her speed almost magical. The chain wraps itself around Juggernaut's ankles, Colossus grabs a wire and shoves it up his ass and Ellie powers up, conjures an atomic fireball and blasts the hulking Juggernaut out and into the water. As she powers down, they approach the bubbling water, watching as Juggernaut struggles, defeated.

"That's how we do it in Mother Russia," Colossus declares.

Ellie makes a face. "You electrocute people up their asses?"

"It is complicated," Colossus says with a shrug.

"Is he dead?" Yukio asks.

Colossus says,"Your combined powers are considerable but he is Juggernaut. I call Icebox to make sure..."

An explosion makes them turn to see Russell Collins shout, "Damn it feels good to be a gangsta!"

"Oh, that dork needs to be shut  down right now,"Ellie says through gritted teeth, as she powers up and prepares to hit the kid with all she's got.

Colossus quickly says,"Ellie, no. You are too strong. Last time you did that, you destroyed a whole shipyard and pretty much half the neighborhood. I know you can control your powers better now, but we cannot risk it, he might not stand a chance. You might kill the boy."

"What the fuck are we gonna do?"Ellie demands, "We can't just stand around while he wreaks havoc."

Colossus points at Deadpool as they all approach the scene. Deadpool is putting on the Icebox collar.

"What the fuck is he fucking doing?"Ellie asks.

"Language,"Colossus says. "Although at this point, why do I even bother?"

"He's gonna get himself killed,"Ellie says. "That asshole. And then we'll have to go and clean up his mess."

"Yukio really is good for you,"Colossus observes.

Ellie turns. "What?"

"She's making you care even for Wade."

"Stop it."

But then they see Russell power up again, Cable running for his gun, Deadpool running to stop him, and as Cable grabs his gun, pulls the trigger and shoots, Deadpool leaps into the air, blocks the bullet intended for Russell and lands on the ground, bleeding and dying.

As he lies there, the idiot manages to say,"Tell me they got that in slow mo..."

* * *

For awhile there it seems like they are going to lose Wade. Even Ellie, who isn't really a big fan of the mercenary, and Cable, who despises him, feel sorry for him. As he says his very long goodbyes to everyone gathered around him, including the newly reformed and very remorseful Russel, and Cable, whose family, Ellie and Yukio later find out, have been saved in the future by Wade's sacrifice, Cable casually goes back in time to change the past so that Wade gets to live another day.  
In the end, Wade and Russel are both saved and all walk away from Essex relatively unscathed, but not before Dopinder runs over the Essex director with murderous borderline psychopathic triumph.

Ellie and Yukio bring the kids back to the mansion, declining Wade's invitation to hang out with them.

"We're X-men," Ellie tells Wade.

"No, you're X-people," Wade counters.

"You're exhausting."

"I see what you did there. Puns."

As they turn to leave, Yukio says, "Bye Wade."

"Bye Yukio!"

Ellie hopes it's the last they see of Wade.

* * *

But then the very next day there's a steady knock on Ellie's window.

She lifts her head, opens her eyes, groggy, sees Yukio, naked and sleeping, arm wrapped around her, leg thrown over her. She hastily throws a robe on, cursing whoever it is for waking her up early.

She goes to the window and sees Wade, on a ladder, peering into her window.

"What the fuck, Wade?!?" she hisses as she opens the window.

"Good morning to you, too, Sunshine."

"Go fuck yourself."

"I would if I could, but that didn't turn out well last time, so never doing that again!" he says cheerfully.

Ellie reaches for the end of the window and slams it shout eliciting a yelp of pain from Wade as he breathes in and out leaning the glass with his forehead. "Motherfucker!"

Ellie lifts the window up. "Why are you still here? Can I help you with something?"

Wade hisses with pain. "Aaww that hurts."

"It's gonna grow back."

"You're a psycho, you know that?"

"One,teenager. Not psycho. There's a difference. Two, this is private property so you're trespassing and three, I don't owe you anything."

 "Fine, fair enough."

"Why are you still here?"

"I need your help."

"Goodbye, Wade..."

"No,no, don't slam the window on my finger again, wait..."

"What's going on?"a groggy, sleepy voice asks behind them.  
Ellie turns and sees Yukio standing there,yawning, white sheet wrapped around her, bare shoulders and feet showing. She sees Ellie and smiles. "Hey babe." She turns and waves at Wade, "Hi, Wade!"

"Hi, Yukio!"Wade waves back, hand flapping as he does so. He stops. "Is that a hickey?"

"She slipped," Ellie deadpans.

Deadpool makes a face. "Barbaric."

Ellie mock scowls.

Yukio only grins and moves to kiss Ellie on the cheek.

"What's up?" she asks them both.

"Wade won't leave."

"I need your help,"Wade says at the same time. He fishes for a device from his pocket and sets it on the window sill.

"Is that...?" Yukio asks.

Deadpool nods. "The very same..."

"How did you...?"

"Long story. Let's not talk about that right now,"Deadpool says. "More importantly, can you help me make it work again?"

"No," Ellie says as Yukio asks,"Why?"

"Harsh,"Deadpool says to Ellie. To Yukio, he says,"I want to go back in time to,basically right some wrongs..."

"Maybe you didn't hear me right, so let me spell it out for you,"Ellie says. "No. N.O. No,no, no..."

"Aaww, come on, Negasonic..." Wade whines.

Yukio is quiet. "It's your girlfriend, isn't it? You wanna go back and save her..."

Yukio is looking at him steadily. Ellie stops looks at Deadpool, too. Fuck.

Deadpool hesitates, before he slowly nods.

"She wasn't supposed to die, Yukio,"he says quietly, in a rare moment of honesty. "I let her die because I was an asshole. I know it's a long shot but wouldn't you do it, too, if you had a shot?"

Yukio nods.

Ellie looks at her.

"We have to help him," Yukio says.

"Yukio..."Ellie says, uncertainly.

"Baby..."

"I have a bad feeling about this..."

Yukio cocks her head. "You'd do it for me, right?"

Ellie's heart softens. "Yes. You know I will."

She sighs. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Deadpool pumps his fist on triumph. "Yes."

As Ellie accepts the device and Yukio jumps up and down and kisses Ellie, Ellie mutters "I'm probably going to regret this."

* * *

"Cable's gonna kill Wade," Yukio comments after Ellie hands the newly repaired device to an impatient Wade.

"Why do you think I'm helping him?" Ellie replies.

It dawns on Yukio after that it might have been a bad idea to help Wade.

Ellie realizes what Yukio has said. "What have we done?"

Yukio only smiles. She comes up to Ellie, cups her face and gently kisses her. Ellie can feel her heart speed up, then slow down, calmed by Yukio's kiss.

"It's gonna be fine," Yukio whispers to her.

"He's gonna fuck it up, I know it...and drag us into it..."

Yukio only smiles. "No, he's not. He's gonna be fine. We're gonna be fine. And whatever happens I'll always find my way back to you. Always." She waits for this to sink before she says, "I love you, you know that."

Ellie's face softens, anxiety melting away. "I love you, too."

In a few moments, Yukio's face is buried in Ellie's neck, lips peppering her with kisses, arms holding Ellie like it's the end of the world. There might be bad people in the world, mutants and humans who want to get rid of them, crazies like Wade who want to fuck things up,people who make it hard to live in a world that's just as full of hate as it is of love and the future, and life might be uncertain, but as long as Ellie has Yukio, she thinks she will be fine. Ellie kisses Yukio and the world, for a second, just melts away and their love is all that matters.

**\- END -**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it for this story. Thanks tp everyone for reading, reviewing and leaving kudos. Want more? Let me know in the comments. Thank you!


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